As is to be expected, after a long silence I come out with the unexpected…

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and I don’t mean that in an arrogant way…I mean that I, as the Queen of my own Universe, Mistress of my own Destiny, Painter of my own Canvas….am fully back, present, ready to make things happen.

In previous posts I talked about the end to “Extreme Cocooning” and the “Glass Cocoon” the latter being when you tell yourself you’ve emerged but you’re really only half awake and still locked in there letting some things in but not really participating. So when I say “I’m back” it’s back as in fully present and with more focus than ever before.

The self-awareness and peace I’ve been praying for since I started on my journey are now part of who I am. My focus is compassion, love and service and I reject – but do not condemn nor waste time thinking about – that and those who do not serve me and my higher purpose.

When I go inside with intention I’m able to connect to my higher self – the piece of God the Creator in me – and when I am connected in this way I feel the energy of the universe inside and out. It’s like I’m swimming in it; breathing it in. All is beauty. All is love. And so it is

After listening to my February 13, 2017 Daily Focus message (Tarot by Tilly on YouTube) I felt moved to do an Energy Oracle card reading for myself. First lighting a candle, gathering some crystals, and channeling the archangels and other spirit guides–

How This Thing Started

My good and dear and besty, bestest friend Annette has lately been spending considerable time going through old photos and other memorabilia. Given our extensive history together let’s just say she’s unearthing some rather choice items from her archives. Annette has the very best sense of humor and she likes to share…

The Photo in Question

It’s from her wedding. I could pinpoint the year for you but let’s just call it the height of “The 80’s” which you will see from this photo taken just before the ceremony started…

The Note (Verbatim)

“Sweetie, Not sure what there is to say about this photo except that we don’t want it to get into the wrong hands. (I seem to remember you saying that you were giving your daughter fashion advice. Don’t get me wrong, you look lovely. It’s the hair.) ♥ A”

Annette’s cute, isn’t she?

The Hair

I have to admit my first inclination when I saw this photo was to call up my cousin Susan, who used to style my hair, and ask her what she had on her mind at that time-to send me out into the world with my permed hair that BIG! and that DARK!?! But wait, this gets better. Please understand that that sweet Annette had just had cataract surgeries and so her vision was a bit, how to put it nicely? …Off? Yess. Off.

The Ensuing Text Exchange

Wedding Photo Text 1

Wedding Photo Text 2

Wedding Photo Text 3

Wedding Photo Text 4

That’s what friends are for!

If You’ve Just Had Cataract Surgery as Well

Here’s an enlargement of the photo in which I point out where my hair (clearly) ends and the shadow begins as well as some other commentary about outfits.

And they lived happily ever after.

The End.

(My apologies to Susan, she always did a fabulous job on my hair. She actually first did my hair when we were little girls playing hairdresser and then did my hair for years until I moved away to Virginia. Love ya Cuzzie! ♥)

W is also for Wednesday

W is for Wednesday and it felt to good to get back to posting a card reading for Tarot Tuesday, I decided to pull a card for Wednesday from my “Whispers of Love” oracle cards deck by Angela Hartfield which are easily found on Amazon.com (click the link above to check them out and order)

Today’s Card

I shuffled the deck with the intention of drawing a card representing a message to those of us being guided to pay more attention to self-care and loving ourselves and I pulled:

#50 Consider Your Foundation

“You are being asked to look at how committed you are to love”

From the accompanying guidebook:

“Love means to commit without guarantees. We give ourselves completely in the hope that love will be the lasting result. Love is an act of faith. Surround yourself with love and know that your life will be better for it.”

Well, there’s a whole lot more to be said about surrounding yourself with love but it boils down to the fact that it all starts with loving and respecting yourself. Because here’s the thing, if you don’t love and respect yourself that’s the energy you put out into the world. If you allow others to treat you like a doormat it’s an open invitation for more people to treat you that way. Don’t do that! Put out the vibe that you care for and respect yourself – mind, body and spirit and don’t settle for anyone not willing to do the same. If you dream of being cherish-behave as though You cherish yourself.

Do you assume you cherish yourself? Have you ever stopped and thought about it? Do you let people get away with saying or doing things to you because you want them to like you or you don’t want them to think you’re high maintenance? Do you refrain from stating your preferences: white wine, romantic comedies, seafood restaurant, visiting a museum vs. hiking up a mountain, and always let others do the picking? Do you rearrange any of your plans related to good self-care (going to the gym, taking a walk, going to Mass, having a massage, taking a nap, grabbing some alone time, to accommodate others because you want them to think you’re “nice”? Be nice to yourself first; it’s not selfish, it’s self-care.

By the Numbers

I include the meaning of the number when using a numbered card deck and this one ties in nicely. Number 50 gets reduced to a 5 (5+0=5) and five’s come up a lot when people need to take a more spiritual or intuitive look at a problem they are facing rather than depending solely on intellect or what they “think” they “should” do etc. Five means a need to look honestly into a situation and seek one’s higher guidance and not merely what one wants to hear.

Working on Getting My Groove Back

I’m trying really hard (because it’s really hard for me right now) to get motivated, get an earlier start each day, adopt a productive morning routine, stay focused, and other good habits for people trying to make a living while launching a business and taking care of a family and the family home while worrying about an aging parent and maintaining a very firm grasp on sanity.

I started the day earlier than I have been starting – not saying exactly what time because it wasn’t all that EARLY, but had a call with my project manager and project team for the work I’m currently doing, already had breakfast and a shower – shortly after dressed, dried hair, called mail order pharmacy about my new prescription (some kind of fish oil supplement – don’t get me started – 180 supply costs $386 – no they don’t take coupons thank you very much – goes toward $3000 family deductible – OUCH!), called sick son out from school, made sick son some breakfast….

Energy Oracle Card Reading

To get to the point of this post I grabbed my “ENERGY Oracle Cards” by Sandra Anne Taylor deck and spent some time shuffling, asked for 3 cards and this is what popped out of the deck – all at the same time:

1st Card: #41 Archangel Uriel, 7th Chakra

Archangel Uriel, also known as the FIRE OF GOD, wears a brilliant crystal crown “vibrating with a passionate connection to the Divine. She brings power to the 7th, or Crown, chakra located at the top of your head indicating a time of great intuition and guidance from higher awareness – watch and listen for messages from the Ascended Masters, archangels, guardian angels, or loving friends and family members in spirit.

Affirmation: “My 7th chakra is open to its perfect, healthy state. Love & inspiration from Spirit – and my own intuition-flow fully to me now”

2nd Card:#26 Hostilities – Defenses Up, Aggressive Energy

The appearance of the man with the raised sword is alerting us that hostilities toward us are about to be-or have already been-engaged. This aggressive energy may be verbal or emotional, from someone in your environment being excessively critical, backstabbing, even out-and-out slander and in a more overt, obvious way. This may be something you’ve already been dealing with or it may be coming but whichever the case may be remember – ALLOWING DISHONORING TREATMENT FROM OTHERS IS AN OPEN INVITATION TO THE UNIVERSE TO SEND YOU MORE – STAND UP FOR YOURSELF NO MATTER WHAT.

Affirmation: “I am receiving the peaceful, harmonious treatment I deserve in my life. I set up boundaries, make reasonable requests, and make my expectations clear.

3rd Card: #9 Broken Heart, Grief & Loss

The heart broken open reveals darkness, emptiness, and a grief-filled tear. Whether this pain is from long ago or more recent, a deep healing is being called for now.

Reclaim your power and your peace of mind by venting your feelings and releasing this person or situation. Open your heart to the light of Divine love and healing, make self-care a priority, and show compassion toward yourself opening your heart to the true and abiding love you rightly deserve.

Affirmation: “I will release the pain of the past and live with compassion for myself. Love HEALS and RENEWS me now.”

The Three Cards Taken Together

On the surface, not so uplifting of a reading, huh? Went really downhill after the first card, right? My interpretation is that taken together these 3 cards are telling us that we’re being looked after from the Universe, not only looked after but being sent guidance from the Universe! So if you’re reading this and you’ve been having a rough go of it lately (or the horrible year that I hear 2016 was for many people) this is a time to put yourself and your needs, dreams, and desires FIRST. This of course, involves a bit of contemplation work – dare I say meditation – to delve into what it is that you’re needing, dreaming and desiring – as well as – a look at where you are with respect to your family, social and work circles, specifically has anyone taken to treating you like a doormat? You know what it means when they do it again and again, right? You’ve given them permission to treat you badly by letting them get away with it once, maybe twice, perhaps even over and over. It’s never too late to put your foot down and call an end to it though – do it! Stand up for yourself!

And I don’t mean in a harsh, combative way, no, especially if you’re unaccustomed to standing up for yourself. Do it in a calm, matter-of-fact way that conveys the message “That treatment is not acceptable. From this point forward you will address me and treat me with respect.”

Give yourself permission to love yourself! Take care of yourself in the manner you deserve to be cared for-that sets the standard for how others are to treat you if they want to interact with you on any level. Otherwise, please tell them they can go….AWAY!

Have you been putting off going to the doctor or doctors for annual check-ups? Pick up the phone and make those appointments. Are you doing your best to eat a diet that’s healthy for you and getting enough sleep? When’s the last time you had a good haircut? Do you have clothes that need to go to the drycleaners? Plants that need watering?

Sister Mary Chardonnay recommends loving yourself a little today and every day by doing any or all of the following:

Search YouTube or i♥Radio, Pandora, etc. for music playlists to lift your spirits, start the day energetically, mood music, binaural beats for positivity – there’s so much out there – you don’t have to love the music or listen to it all day but while you’re doing your morning routine it will elevate your mood

Breathe, remember to breathe! If you’re holding your breath right now because you’re stressed out STOP what you’re doing. Sit up straight and fill those lungs to capacity with some OXYGEN, in through the nose and out through the mouth baby – TEN TIMES- and see how much better you feel